Health care costs for small businesses are on the rise, and some local business owners are feeling the pinch.

A report on HealthReform.gov states premiums for employer-based health insurance have more than doubled since 2000.

Warren-based Inscale Architects President Donna Zariczny said her company has been told it is normal to see an increase in healthcare costs.

"The economy has played a part in the increases this past year," she said.

On average, Zariczny said the company's healthcare costs have risen 9 percent last year and 12 percent this year.

Zariczny said the company's insurance carrier informed the company that on average, most employers are seeing 15 percent increases.

"We have heard of employers seeing up to 30 percent increases," she said.

The company did not have anyone on its plan hospitalized and no catastrophic incident has happened to warrant the increase, Zariczny said.

While the company looked at options to lower the cost of the premium by reducing the benefits to the employee, Zariczny said the company did not feel it would be good for employee retention.

"We value our employees and wanted to keep the benefit intact," she said.

Clarendon's Allegheny Tool Mold & Manufacturing, Inc. President Mark Hazeltine said it seems every year health care costs go up.

Vice President Tim Hazeltine said healthcare costs have gone up "quite a bit" over previous years.

Hazeltine said the company requires employees to pay $10 per week for single coverage and $15 per week for family coverage.

Hazeltine said the company wanted one of the benefits of working there to be that be health care coverage.

However, Hazeltine said that is getting harder and harder to do.

"And sometimes you feel like your employees don't appreciate what we are doing for them besides giving them a job," he said.

Action Radon Testing, LLC Owner Ellen Butkus said while she is the only person in her company and gets insurance through her husband, she does think the healthcare system is broken.

Butkus said she is in favor of the public option and thinks everyone could benefit from having health insurance.

"The system is costing us as taxpayers a lot of money for emergency benefits," she said.

Sheffield's Duhring Resource Company Owner Arthur Stewart said his company renewed its health policy a little under a year ago.

The company would have suffered an increase of around 15 percent, Stewart said, but the company's insurance agent was able to move coverage to another carrier and the company enjoyed a small decrease in premium.

However, Stewart said, over the past decade the trend has been a steady increase.

Warren's Craco Industrial Cryogenics Owner Craig Ames said while he is the only worker at the company, he has seen increases due to his age since reaching 55.

The costs are high compared to working for someone else, Ames said.

Warren's Bollinger Enterprises Executive Director Bob Klebacha said during his more than 29 years in the position he has seen two years with rate reductions, one year where rates held steady and 26 years in which rates increased.

Increase percentages have ranged from a low of 3 percent, Klebacha said, to a high of 62 percent about eight to 10 years ago.

"From my standpoint, it is not a matter of 'if' rates will increase," he said. "It is a matter of 'how much' they will increase.

Warren's Fresh Cup Coffee Owner Janet Spencer said healthcare is not offered at her business.

"Management couldn't afford to pay for it and employees don't make enough to cover healthcare," she said.

However, Spencer said mostly young people work there and are usually covered with their parents' insurance.